System of concrete construction.



l P. AYLBTT. SYSTEM OP CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION. APPLIUATIO-N FILED 00T.2B, 1907.

965,358.. A Patented Ju1y26,.191o.

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l wma/Joao wu c w tofl P. AYLETT. SYSTEM 0F GONQRETB CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 26, 1907.

Patented July 26, 1910.

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y 1). mzL'xftlL SYSTEM 0F CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION. APPLTCATION FILED v00T.26, 1997.

Patented July ,26, 1910.

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rianne AYLETT, or PORTSMOUTH, vrncnvra.

. SYSTEM F CONCRETE CONSTRUCTIN.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

ltatented July 26, lglll.

Application :tiled October 26, 1907. Serial No. l399235. I l

To all .whom t 'may concern; y

Be it known`that I,"PHiLiP. AYLi-irr, a citizen of the United States,residing at Portsmouth, in the county of Norfolk and Statev of Virginia,having invented certain new and useful Improvements in Systems ofvConcrete Construction, of which the following is a specification.

Numerous methods, some more or less.

satisfactory, have been employed by engineers in the erection ofconcrete structures. For certain purposes, however, all the systems ofconstruction with which I am familiar possess disadvantages whichmilitate very strongly against their success. For example, a systemwhich is convenient and otherwise satisfactory yt'or erecting small'structures may become extremely complicated and costly when applied tostructures ofv greater magnitude, so that the usual econlomy of concreteconstruction may be greatly reduced, if not entirely eliminated. Aninstance of this -kind is the erection of concrete arches, for bridgesand other purposes. With small arches the false Work necessary tosupport the unfinished arch may be simple Aand inexpensive, but for anarch `of long s an sa a hundred and -ift or two hun- P a Y Y dred feetin length and ot corresponding height, the falsework is, as will bereadily seen, extremely complicated, and is expensive not only inmaterials employed but also in the labor and time involved in erection.In fact, the cost of the temporary support increases out of allproportion to the increase in size of the structure to be erectedthereon.

I have therefore been led to devise my present invention, which has forits chief object, to provide a system of-construction of the simplestcharacter and of low cost,

by which concrete structures of any size can ,be erected with markedeconomy.

' A Briefly stated, the essential feature of my lane, or at any angle'tothe horizontal, or" inthe form of an arch of any desired curvature,merelyv by lengthening 'or shortening,

Aas the case may require, the rods orequinaeA lent devices which supportthe same on the cable or cables. A

I o those skilled in the art it will be apparent from the above that theinvention can be used in the erection of structures of widely differentkinds.

` In the annexed drawings I have shown the invention employed in theconstruction of a concrete arch, using a bridge arch as an example.

Referring now to the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, somewhatdiagrammatic in character, of an application of my invention to theconstruction of an arched bridge. Fig. 2 is a detail view in sideelevationof a section ofthe temporary supporting structure or centering.Fig. 3 is` a det-ail plan view of Fig. 2. "Fig 4 is a detail crosssection on line IV-IV of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a 'detail`view, partly insection, of the preferred type o hinge or pivot joint between supportingsections. Fig.' 6 is a detail view of another form of hinge joint. Fig.7 is a detail side elevation illustrating a convenient method ofkeyingtogether the sections of the arch, and'Fig. S-is a sectional planView of the same. Fig. 9 is a sectional plan view showing an arrangementof molds for forming a cross member between concrete arches. Fig. 10 isa cross-section of the completed bridge, taken at or near the center ofthe spanl. Fig. 1l is a side view of a portion of a so-called hingedarch, a type orn arch which may be constructed by means of my system.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, thecables, one of which is indicated at l, are hung from suitable elevatedsupports, such as the towers, 2, 3, located preferably at or near theabutments 4, 5 of the arch or other structure which is to be erected.The cables are anchored in any convenient. and suitable manner, notshown. Depending from the cables are the hangers 6, carrying crossmembers which .f

in turn carry the longitudinal supports 7. The latter are hinged toVeach other at the cross members, so that by lengthening or shorteningthe han e'rs 6 the series of supports 7 can be ma e to assume anydesired curvature, according to the arch which is to be erected. Inpractice the lengths ofthe hangersv are preferablydetermined in .ad-Vance, so that when 'the'cables and. flexible centering are: in placethe latter will have ,the desired curvature; but to permit adgust- A nalsupports.

ment at any time the hangers may be provided with turnbuckles, 8, orequivalent means, whereby they may be radily let out or taken up asdesired, so as to correct the curvature of the centering whenevernecessary. Hanging from the ends o'f the hinged sections is a row oftargets 9, on cords of such lengths, easily determined in advance bycalculation, that' when the .curvature of the flexible centering iscorrect the targets will all be at the same level. Thus, under thedirection of an engineer with an instrument on the bank of the stream,the sag of the cables and the lengths of the hangers can be varieduntil. the targets are all at the same level, whereupon it is known thatthe centering is in -proper form.

The cross members carried by the `hangers 6 consist preferably of a pairof angle irons 10, fastened together with their flanges uppermost andwith the hangers extending between them at the ends, as shown in Figs.2, 3, and 5. At the ends of the cross members are bearing blocks 1l,securely fastened to theflanges of the angle irons, affording bearingsfor the pivots l2 of the longitudi- The latter consist of a pair of sidemembers 13, across which is a suitable number of joists 14, and abovethe latter a flooring 15- if desired,- -see Fig. 4. Each side memberconsists of a pair of cha-nnel irons securely fastened by bolts, orotherwise, to a filling member 16. Since the channel irons arepreferably straight, the fillers 16 have their upper edges curved to thearcs of which their respective channel irons are chords, thereby makingt-he complete centering conform to the curvature of the arch which is tobe erected. By substituting differently curved fillers, and altering thelengths'of the hangers 6, as pre viously mentioned, any curvature ofarch may be provided for. The fillers terminate short of the ends of theside members, and in alternate sections the projecting ends of thechannel irons constitute gussets, to receive filling blocks 17, fastenedbetween the channel irons of the adjacent sections. The pivots 12 extendthrough the gnssets and filling blocks. The pivot bearings in thegussets (and in the adjacent section also) may, if desired, bc formed byupwardly extending s'lots, as shown at 18, Fig. G, so that theI sectionscan be assembled merely dropping them in place on the pivots. Thisfigure alsoshows side members formed by single elements, for examplesimple wooden beams 19, one of which has gussets 2O secured to it.

As previously stated, the longitudinal seetions are preferablyconstructed and arranged as above described, but it is to be understoodthat numerous other constructions and arrangements can be employed Vwithsatisfactory results. The scheme seone/or more molds 21in whichmay becast the corresponding sections of the arch, the

vvnumber of moldson each centering section being determined by the widthof thelatter, the number of arches to be constructed, the distancebetween the same, etc. The molds are shorter than the supportingsections, as shown in Figs. l and `7, and extending through the vmoldslengthwise, into the spaces between the same, are reinforcing bars 22,of suitablenumber and character. Similar bars extend fromthe abutmentsinto the spaces between the same andthe adja'.- cent arch molds.Themolds being in place, they are now lled with concrete. Of course themolds may be filled in any order, but to keep the arch well balanced andminimize the tendency to distortionthe center mold or molds should befilled first; next the end molds are filled simultaneously; then themolds midway between the center and the ends, and so on until all arefilled. W hen the concrete has set, the ends of the molds are broken outor otherwise removed and the spaces between sections inclosed in anyconvenient and suitable manner, 'as by means of bottom pieces 23 andsidepieces 21, Figs. and S. The key-molds thus formed are now filledwith concrete, embedding the overlapping reinforcements and keying thearch sections together. XVhere two or more arches are constructed sideby side, as in Fig. 10, they may be connected by cross beams, as shownat 25, cast in molds l extending between thearch molds at suitablepoints. Such a cross mold is shown at 26, Fig. 9, and, as will be seen,is in communication with its arch molds, so that the three can be castintegral with each other. teinforcing bars 27 may be provided, extendingthrough the cross molds into the adjoining arch molds. The arch beamsbeing now completed, the cables and centering are taken down and theroadway, of any desired kind, is constructed on the-arches.

In Fig. 10, which shows a railway bridge, the track is laid on a bed 28of reinforced concrete.

One or more of the spaces between the arch sections can bereadilyutilized for the construction of so-called hinged arches. Thus,instead of filling all the spaces with concrete,'one, two,or more as maybe desired, may have hinges, say of the type shown in Fig. 11. As shownin this figure, the

hinge members 29 are provided with 'dowels A ceases bedded therein inthe 4operation of casting the latter. i,

To tliose skilled in the art itlWill be apparent that the system abovedescribed proyides an exceedingly inexpensive method of construction.'The temporary structure, consisting .ofthe cables and flexible i'loor orcentering, is notonly inexpensive in itself but being adaptable toWidely Varying conditions, merely by adding or omitting sec tions and byVarying the lengtlis oi the hangers, is capable of repeated use, thusstill further reducing the cost of erecting concrete structures,Furthermore, less labor' is required, botli in the erection of thecentering and in the construction ot the concrete Worlr, than in anysystem With which I am familiar.

Other advantages might be mentioned, but those referred to aresufcientto show the marked .d nity of the invention.

As previously stated, the embodiment leci-in specifically illustratedanddescribedis merely the preferred Way of carrying .out the invention andmay be modified Widely Without departing from the spirit of theinvention, which I believe to be defined by the following claims.

1. 1n a system ot concrete construction, the combination oflsupportsarranged on opposite sides of a space to be spanned by a concretestructure; cables mounted on said supports and extending across thespace to be spanned by the concrete structure; a centering comprising aplurality of flexibly jointed sections; and means Vfor supporting 'thecentering on thecables.

2. In a system of concrete construction, the combination of supportingcables 'arranged over a space to be spanned, a centering comprising aplurality of flexibly jointed sections, and hangers suspending the saidsections from the cables.

3. In a system ofconcr'ete construction, the combination of supportingcables arranged over a space to be spanned, a centerend, carried on thecross. supports.

ing comprising a plurality of i'lexibly joint- -ed sections, andhangers, adjustable in length, suspending the said sections from thecables.

l lfln a 'system of concrete construction, the -combination ofsupporting cable's arvranged over a space to be spanned, hangersdepending romthe cables, cross supports carried by the hangers and aseries of longitudinal supports, tlexibly jointed .end to ln a system ofconcrete construction, the combination otelevate'd supportsU yar-vranged on opposite sides of a space to be spanned by .a concretestructure; cables mounted on said supports and extending acrosstliespace to be spanned by. the concrete structure', a centering'composed ofa plurality er sexibiy jointed Sections; and

means 4 itor suspending the saidV `centering from the cables.

6. In a system of concrete constructiom.

the combination of a series of ysupporting sections liexibly jointed endto end to constitute a centering voft variable form, means comprisingcables extending over the centen ing and hangers depending Jfrom thecables and connectedl to the centering sections at the ends thereof.

7. In' a system of concrete construction, the combination with aplurality of sections arranged end to end, to constitute a centering; ofa plurality of transverse supports,

located at the adjoining ends of the said centering sections; meanscarried by the transverse supports for pivotally connecting thecentering sections; and means connected with the transverse supports forsupporting the structure over a space to be spanned.

8. In a system of concrete constructioi'i, the combination of a seriesof supporting Sections flexibly jointed end toend, means ttorsuspending-the series of sections as a centering over a space to bespanned and in predetermined form, and aseries of molds on the 4saidsupporting members, arranged in alinement but spaced apart at theirends.

9.' In a system of concrete construction, the combination of a pluralityof centering sections liexibly jointedtogether, molds on the saidsections, spacedapart at their ends,

,reinforcing bars extending from the ends of the molds into the spacesbetween the same, and means for molding concretekeys in the i saidspaces.

10. In a system of concrete construction, the combination of acentering,l a series 'of spaced molds for casting sections oit aconcrete structure on the centering, .reinforcing bars extending throughthe respective molds the combination of a centering, a series of.

spaced molds for casting sections oa concrete structure thereon, andmolds for casting keys between the structural sections.

- 12. In a system of concrete construction,

'the combination of centering, a series of spaced sections of a concretestruct-ure on the centering, and molds inclosing the spaces between lthesections for casting keys between the saine. l

13. ln an apparatus :tor erecting structurall elements by arrangingsections of the elements in the positions which they are to occupy inthe finished structure and subsequentlylreyiiig the sections together,in 'comsoV assess bination, supporting cables extending across the spaceto be s a-nned by the structural element, means or suspending from thecables the sections of the element in pivotal .relation to each otherend to end, and adjusting devices associated with said means foreffecting pivotal adjustment of the Sec` tions relative to each other tobring the same into desired alinement before keying them together.

let. In an apparatus for erecting structural elements by arrangingsections of the elements in the positions W'liich they are to occupy 1nthe inished structure and subsequently keying the sections together, incom-4 bination, supporting cables extending across the space to bespanned by the structural e1ei ers to eti-'ect pivotal adjustment-of these'c-f tions relative to each other to bring the same into desiredalinement before keying them together.

l5. In an apparatus for yerecting structural elements by arranginsections of the elements in the positions W ich they are to occupy inthe nished structure and subsequently keyinr the sections together, incombination, cables extending across the space to be spanned by thestructural element, supports for the sections of the structural elementsuspended from the cables and pivotally connected together, and meansfor effecting pivotal adjustment of the supports .to bring the sectionsinto desired alinement with each` other before keying them together.

. PHILIP AYLETT. Witnesses: G. TAYLoE GWATHMEY,

M. A. LAWLER.

